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Varadero

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A long, narrow peninsula of sand off Cuba's north coast, lined with large resorts, with a golf course in the middle and a nature reserve at its tip.

Fly to Varadero All of Cuba
Arrival
Juan Gualberto Gómez International · VRA
To the resorts
About 22 km from town
Private jets
Into VRA, 24 hours; confirm fuel before departure
Best time
November to April

The city

Sand, resorts and an uncertain season.

Varadero is Cuba's beach resort: a thin strip of land running north-east into the Atlantic, with large hotels along its sand, the Varadero Golf Club in the middle and an ecological reserve at the far end. Meliá alone runs five hotels on the beach, and several resorts now set aside adults-only areas with butlers and private pools.

This is a difficult time to come. Since February 2026 Cuba has been short of fuel and electricity: the authorities warned that aviation fuel had run out, hotels closed or merged guests into fewer buildings, and Canadian holiday flights were suspended. Check that your hotel is open and how it is powered before booking. US citizens and residents may not travel here for tourism, and two of the hotels below are on the State Department's restricted list.

  • Varadero Golf Club The course runs through the middle of the peninsula, beside the Xanadú mansion built for the du Pont family.
  • The ecological reserve Protected land near the tip of the peninsula, where a single resort stands on the beach at Punta Francés.
  • The beach Fine sand along the whole Atlantic side of the peninsula, with the sea at 25 to 29 °C.

Arriving

A long runway with an uncertain fuel supply.

Juan Gualberto Gómez International lies about 22 km south-west of Varadero, nearer to the city of Matanzas than to the beach. The runway is close to 11,500 feet long and the tower never closes, so it can take any aircraft.

Business & First Class Scheduled flights American flies from Miami. Most visitors used to come on Canadian and European holiday flights, but year-round links with Europe ended in 2025, and Sunwing and WestJet Vacations suspended their Cuba programmes in 2026. Several airlines still flying to Cuba now stop to refuel in a neighbouring country. Business & First fares Private Jet Private aviation Customs are on site for international arrivals; a slot must be booked. Fuel supply has been unreliable since early 2026, so ask the handler to confirm it in writing or plan a fuel stop outside Cuba. US travellers should check their licence category with OFAC before flying. Charter a jet
Approximate flying time by midsize jet
  • Nassau 55 min
  • Punta Cana 2 h 10
  • Mexico City 2 h 45
  • São Paulo 8 h 35 long-range jet
  • Istanbul 13 h 00 long-range jet

When to go

November to April.

The Cuban dry season, November to April, keeps rain below 75 mm a month and afternoons at 26 to 30 °C. From May to October the heat reaches 32 °C, rain passes 160 mm a month, and the storm risk runs from June to November.

  1. 26° J 40 25°
  2. 27° F 36 25°
  3. 29° M 48 25°
  4. 30° A 74 26°
  5. 31° M 172 27°
  6. 32° J 215 28°
  7. 32° J 166 29°
  8. 32° A 174 29°
  9. 32° S 193 29°
  10. 30° O 174 28°
  11. 28° N 61 27°
  12. 27° D 36 26°
Best months weather2travel.com, long-term averages

Elsewhere in Cuba

More reasons to come.

All of Cuba

Flying to Varadero?

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